Page 39 of Echo’s Secret

Yeah. She is.

That's why we chose her. When the social worker showed us her file and said she was "difficult to place" because of her attachment issues and trust problems, we knew immediately.

This is the child we're meant to raise.

We pull into the parking lot. The building is plain brick, the kind of place that houses broken systems and broken children.

Theo is out of the car before I even turn off the engine. "Come on! Elena's waiting!"

We walk inside together, and the social worker, Margaret, meets us in the lobby with a smile.

"Right on time." She shakes our hands. "Elena is in the playroom. I'll take you to her."

We follow Margaret down a hallway lined with children's artwork. Through a door into a small room with toys scattered across the floor.

And there she is.

Elena sits in the corner, arms wrapped around her knees, dark hair falling over her face. She doesn't look up when we enter. Doesn't react at all. Three years old and already learned that protecting yourself means staying small and quiet.

Margaret crouches down. "Elena, honey, remember I told you some people were coming to meet you? This is Mr. and Mrs. Colt, and their son Theo."

Elena's head lifts slightly. Brown eyes peek through her hair, wary and watchful.

I crouch down too, making myself smaller. Less threatening. "Hey, Elena. I'm Wesley. You can call me Echo if you want, that's what my friends call me. This is Hannah, and that's Theo."

Theo waves enthusiastically. "Hi! I'm gonna be your big brother! I picked out your room color. It's yellow!"

Elena stares at us and says nothing.

Hannah sits on the floor. "We know this is scary. Meeting new people. Going to a new place. We know you've probably heard promises before that didn't come true."

Elena's eyes track to Hannah's face.

"But we're not going anywhere," Hannah continues. "We came here today to bring you home. To our home. Where you'll have your own room, a backyard to play in and people who want you there. Not because we have to. Because we choose you."

"We have a swing set," Theo adds helpfully. "In our backyard. I'll teach you how to pump your legs so you can swing really high. And we have a sandbox too. And sometimes Uncle Brick comes over and he's really big and can push us both at the same time."

Elena's grip on her knees loosens slightly.

"We know you're scared," I tell her. "That's okay. Being scared makes sense. But I promise you, we're staying. Even when things are hard. Even when you're angry or sad or don't believe us. We're staying."

Elena looks at me for a long moment. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper: "Promise?"

"Promise. Hannah and I grew up the same way you did. In the system. Moving from place to place. Waiting for someone to choose us and stay." I meet her eyes. "We know exactly how you feel. And we're choosing you. For keeps."

She stands slowly and takes one tentative step toward us. Then another.

Theo reaches out his hand. "Come on. Let's go home."

Elena looks at his hand. Then at Hannah. Then at me.

And takes Theo's hand.

"Okay," she whispers.

Margaret helps us with paperwork and Elena's belongings, one small bag with a few clothes and a stuffed rabbit that's seen better days. Elena clutches the rabbit while Theo chatters at her non-stop about everything she's going to see.

During the drive home, Theo tells Elena about their house with the yellow room and the backyard. About Uncle Phoenix who's in charge of the motorcycle club, and Uncle Judge who knows sign language, and Uncle Brick who's really big but gives the best hugs. About the aunts who will spoil her and the cousins who will play with her on Sundays.